If it doesn't taste good, why eat it?

lime

Now that we’ve had the tiniest turn in the weather here in New England, I feel as though I can post a soup recipe again without being driven from the free land of the internets 😉

This soup is high in protein, low in fat, and has a wealth of vitamin A. It’s also got a fantastic thick and creamy consistency. As far as flavor goes you get the standard kidney bean with the tangy yogurt and sweet lime all at once. Then that’s all rounded out with the cumin & chili powder for a wonderful finish.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces

1 celery stalk, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium garlic cloves, chopped

3 cups + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth

3 TBS tomato paste

1 TBS ground cumin

2 TBS ancho chili powder

1 TBS dried Mexican oregano

1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

salt and pepper to taste

Lime yogurt

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 TBS lime juice

1 TBS chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Chop onions and garlic, carrots and celery & set aside

Heat 1 TBS broth in medium-sized soup pot and sauté the onion in the broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently

Add garlic, carrots, celery, and continue to sauté for a minute

Add broth, tomato paste, kidney beans, and spices and bring to a boil

Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender ·

Make lime yogurt by combining yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in small bowl

Puree the soup in a blender in small batches

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Reheat, and pour into serving bowls, top with lime yogurt, and serve

I opted to serve this soup with a side salad topped with edible flowers (greens & flowers from Old Friends Farm).

Here’s a recipe that would be great for your 4th of July festivities. A dry rub that you can make ahead and smother some ribs in and let them hang out in the fridge for a day or two before you slow cook them, then grill them off to perfection. The rub has just a few simple, savory spices, and there’s also a glaze of sweet, sticky, spicy sauce.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ancho chile powder

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 rack baby back ribs

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 cup honey

1 pound fresh pineapple rings, sliced about 1/2 inch thick

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder with 1/4 cup of cumin, 2 tablespoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Set the ribs in a cooking dish, rub all over with spice mixture, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate

ribs coated thickly in the dry rub

When you’re ready to cook them: preheat the oven to 350°

Add a small bit of water to the bottom of the cooking dish and bake the ribs for 45 minutes, until just tender

Cover with foil and bake another 30 minutes

Meanwhile, puree 1/2 of the jalapeño with the garlic and 1/2 cup of lime juice, add in the honey and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cumin

Pour the glaze mixture into a saucepan and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes

When the ribs have cooked to tender, raise the oven temperature to 450° or light your grill

Brush the ribs with half of the glaze and bake or grill for about 20 minutes

Brush with the remaining glaze for a sticky finish

Grill the pineapple rings over high heat, turning once, about 5 minutes (or pan fry them in a cast iron skillet over a high heat for 2-3 minutes) and set aside to cool

pineapple rings ready for the grill

Dice the pineapple and transfer to a bowl and add the brown sugar, onion, cilantro, and remaining 1/2 jalapeño and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper

If you’re in the market for a flavorful chili that’s low in fat and high in protein, this one’s for you. This recipe has absolutely no heat to it, so if you like it spicy, add a fresh jalepeno to the mix. Or you can opt to serve it garnished with sour cream and a spicy salsa on top. This dish has a great balance between the creamy beans and the sweet corn.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

1 TBS + 1-1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

6 medium cloves garlic, chopped

2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

2 TBS ground cumin

2 TBS red chili powder

2 TBS dried oregano

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

salt and black pepper to taste

fresh cilantro and scallions

Directions:

Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium size soup pot and saute the onion and bell pepper in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until translucent

Add garlic, cumin, and red chili powder and continue to saute for another minute

Add 1-1/2 cups broth and the rest of ingredients, except for the cilantro and corn. Simmer for 20 minutes uncovered

I absolutely adore the lemon ricotta cookie. It’s so zesty and tart, and sweet at the same time. After the passage of Cinco de Mayo I had a lot of limes to use up- one girl and one boy can only drink so many margaritas you know. So I embarked on a mission to use some of those limes and make something a little different. Success was mine. These cookies were served at a Mother’s Day tea at my Gram’s and had rave reviews from several ladies.

Ingredients:

¼ cup crème fraiche

¼ cup butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

zest of 4 limes, divided

juice of 4 limes, divided

1 egg

2 cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

Blend butter with crème fraiche until creamy and then add the juice & zest of 2 limes and mix well

Gradually add sugar until well blended and then add the egg. Mix very well

Slowly stir in flour, baking soda and salt

Drop onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. This makes about 2 dozen

Whisk together 1 cup confectioners sugar and the zest & juice of 2 limes. It will be syrupy. Glaze the cookies with this. If you do it while they’re hot then it will ooze down and there will be a thin glaze. If done while they’re cold, it will be thicker

Is it just me, or does anyone else think of that South Park episode now every time they hear the term crème fraiche?

This salad is super-simple to throw together and is packed with flavor and nutrients. Have it as a side dish to some popcorn chicken with a selection of dipping sauces, or as a lunch. It would go great at a party as it can sit at room temp very comfortably. It has lots of color too.

brwon rice salad with black beans, corn and red pepper

Ingredients:

1 cups brown rice

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup water

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup black beans

2 TBS white vinegar

Juice of two limes

1 tsp ground cumin

pinch of cayenne

2 TBS chopped cilantro

Directions:

Cook the rice in 1 cup of broth and one cup of water

Combine cooked brown rice, diced bell pepper, corn, and black beans

Mix the vinegar and lime juice with 1 tsp cumin and a pinch of cayenne and dress the rice mixture with it